Third Person's POV.
The very next morning, Phillip Sinclair—the quiet, respected patriarch of the extended family—arrived unannounced at his sister's corner office at Moore Holdings (MH). He did not ask to be announced and he did not wait; he simply walked straight past the startled executive assistant. He found Genevieve reviewing the news about Percy's $120 million Nexus Labs contract.
Genevieve looked up, irritation etched across her face, which quickly shifted to wary surprise. She rarely saw her brother this agitated, and his lack of ceremony was a clear warning that he was here on business.
"Phillip, this is highly inappropriate," Genevieve began, gesturing sharply to the open file detailing Aethel Design's triumph. "As you can see, I am dealing with the fallout of your nephew's recklessness and—"
"I am not here to discuss Percy or his recklessness," Phillip cut her off, his voice quiet but carrying immense weight—a clear sign of his contained fury. He took the seat opposite her desk without permission, eliminating the power dynamic she usually maintained. "I am here to discuss yours, Eve."
He leaned forward, his hands clasped firmly on the polished mahogany desk, his gaze unwavering. "I thought you were better than this? The supply chain freezes you engineered—the so called 'strategic pause' on materials for Aethel Designs? That was juvenile, and future attacks like that needs to stop immediately."
Genevieve bristled, her corporate shield snapping into place. "I am protecting the Sinclair/Moore's name and the market stability of MH. Percy's new venture is destabilizing—"
"Stop! Please just stop lying to me," Phillip commanded, his voice hardening, his patience utterly spent. "You are acting out of wounded pride because Percy went against you, and I get it. I felt the same way when Alexis decided to start her own company years ago. But your little campaign has crossed a significant line, Eve. You are now sabotaging my daughter's business and future too."
Phillip took a deep, steadying breath, his frustration palpable. "Alexis is my daughter. She worked hard, she took the risk, and she has built a highly successful, independent career in Aethel Designs. I'm sure you know she and Percy are co-founders, they are partners, and they rely on the very contracts you are trying to quietly block."
He fixed her with a stern, icy gaze. "The Northwood Project delay? That involves several of my other business partners on the public works committee. When you apply pressure through the network to freeze out Aethel Designs, you are causing friction with those partners—partners who also rely on Morre Holdings for entirely unrelated deals."
He knows his sister only sees this as a fight between mother and son; but he sees it as a threat to the stability of the entire family network. Phillip's internal calculus was clear: she won't listen to Percy's emotional threats, but she will listen when her actions start to cost her leverage with her own allies. Alexis is his priority. Percy might be rebelling because his mother attacked his happiness, but Alexis is innocent collateral damage, and Phillip would not allow her future to be risked in this marital spat.
"You cannot keep sabotaging their business, Eve," Phillip declared. "It is unprofessional, it is petty, and it is compromising the relationships that keeps Morre Holdings solvent. Your personal vendetta is now impacting my professional life and risking my daughter's future. This has gone on long enough, I will not allow it anymore."
"He defied me! He is throwing away everything I built for him!" Genevieve hissed, her composure finally breaking, the deep-seated fury leaking out.
"He's choosing his own path, Eve," Phillip countered firmly. "It's time to let the children be. Let Percy succeed or fail on his own merits. Let Alexis continue to build her company without having to fight interference from her own aunt. This war ends now."
Genevieve stared at her brother, sheer rage battling against the sudden realization that she had pushed too far. She was accustomed to wielding power with impunity, but Phillip was reminding her that her power was interconnected, and crossing him had immediate, serious consequences—consequences that affected her bottom line.
"Fine," she finally spat out, the single word tight with controlled fury. "I will cease active interference with Aethel Design's existing contracts and suppliers."
"You will cease all interference with Aethel Designs, period!" Phillip corrected, rising slowly to his feet, cementing his dominance in the room. "Focus on securing a major contract for Moore Holdings and show the market you are not distracted. Focus on your company, Eve, and let the children focus on theirs. Do we have an understanding?"
Genevieve nodded curtly, unable to meet his gaze. The order was given, and she had to obey, not out of respect for Percy or concern for Alexis, but out of fear of alienating her most powerful brother.
Phillip Sinclair left the office without another word. Genevieve was left alone, staring at the closed door, realizing the battlefield had just shrunk dramatically. She couldn't touch Aethel Design's business; her only remaining leverage was the personal, emotional kind.